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Source of Madness similar games & best alternatives

Source of Madness

PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 • 2022

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Quick resume

Source of Madness is a side-scrolling dark action roguelite set in a twisted Lovecraftian inspired world powered by procedural generation and AI machine learning. Take on the role of a new Acolyte as they embark on a nightmarish odyssey.

Global score

69/100

Genres

Action, Adventure, Role-playing (RPG), Platform

Similar games

    Pros

    • Unique lovecraftian art style and atmosphere
    • Procedurally generated monsters and environments
    • Engaging and challenging combat
    • Deep progression and build customization
    • Active developer support and updates

    Cons

    • Combat can feel floaty and imprecise
    • Some balancing and content length issues
    • Minimal narrative and story impact
    • Enemy ai and movement can be unpredictable or frustrating
    • Lack of save mid-run and some ui clunkiness

    Analysis

    A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Fellowship, Cooperation, Leadership, Violence. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Violence, Fantasy. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Intimacy.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      3

      "Players can choose different classes and customize builds with spells and items, but runs have procedural generation and some randomness in starting conditions."

    • Competence
      3

      "Combat requires skillful dodging and positioning; players improve over time and unlock upgrades, but some combat elements feel floaty and imprecise."

    • Competition
      -3

      "Focus is on individual progression and personal challenge rather than competing against others; no mention of PvP or leaderboards."

    • Continuation
      3

      "Players report addictive gameplay with desire to keep playing, though some mention waning interest after finishing acts; roguelite progression encourages repeated runs."

    • Cooperation
      -5

      "Game is single-player focused with no cooperative or multiplayer elements mentioned."

    • Creativity
      4

      "High creativity in procedural generation of monsters and environments; players create unique builds with spells and items."

    • Domination
      -5

      "No evidence of dominating others; gameplay is solo and cooperative social dominance is absent."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Strong Lovecraftian horror theme and immersive atmosphere provide escapism into a dark, surreal world."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of interest and enjoyment; no indication of obligation or pressure to play."

    • Experimenting
      4

      "Players experiment with different builds, spells, and strategies; procedural generation encourages trying new approaches."

    • Exploration
      3

      "Players explore procedurally generated levels and discover secrets; some critique about limited story impact on hub world."

    • Expression
      2

      "Customization through character classes and spell/item builds allows some self-expression, though no avatar personalization."

    • Fantasy
      5

      "Strongly rooted in imaginative Lovecraftian cosmic horror fantasy with surreal monsters and environments."

    • Fellowship
      -5

      "No social or community play; experience is solitary."

    • Growth
      4

      "Players learn enemy patterns, improve skills, and unlock permanent upgrades through progression."

    • Health
      -5

      "Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or health-related features."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires focused attention during runs; some runs can be long but players are engaged."

    • Intimacy
      -5

      "No evidence of forming close relationships or emotional sharing within the game."

    • Leadership
      -5

      "No leadership or group management elements present."

    • Progression
      4

      "Persistent progression through unlocking skills, classes, and upgrades across runs."

    • Relaxation
      2

      "Some players find the atmosphere immersive and enjoyable, though combat can be challenging and tense."

    • Sensation
      4

      "Strong sensory stimulation from unique art style, sound design, and visual effects."

    • Status
      -5

      "No social recognition or status systems mentioned."

    • Story
      2

      "Minimal narrative with some lore and atmosphere; story is light and underdeveloped but present."

    • Strategy
      3

      "Combat and build choices require tactical thinking and planning; some randomness limits full strategic control."

    • Thrill
      3

      "Challenging combat and unpredictable enemies create suspense and excitement."

    • Value
      3

      "Players feel the game offers good value especially at sale price; some critique about content length."

    • Violence
      4

      "Combat involves destroying grotesque monsters with spells and dismemberment."

    • Survival
      3

      "Players must avoid damage and manage resources to survive; enemies pose significant threat."

    Where to buy

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    Last update: 29/04/2026